Vehicle head lamp



July 2; 1935. v. J, ROPER VEHICLE HEAD LAMP Filed April 29, 1952 2Q INVENTU 13 BY Mazda;

1 25 ATTURNEY R. UPER 'Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES VEHICLE mum LAMP Val J. Roper, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a-corporation of New York Application April 29, 1932, Serial No. 608,251

6 Claims.

My invention relates to vehicle headlamps and more particularly to combinations of light sources, lenses and reflectors which will produce a desired illumination. In my patent application Serial No. 575,859, filed November 18, 1931,

I disclose a headlighting arrangement in which a beam of light is produced for use when approaching another vehicle which is asymmetric so as to provide illumination along the right side of the road for a substantial distance ahead. One of the objects of my present invention is to produce an asymmetrical beam in which the major portion of light is directed to the right of an approaching vehicle, while a lesser amount of light is directed to the left of said vehicle and substantially no light is directed toward the vehicle itself. In other words, a hole is left in the beam in the direction of said approaching vehicle. provide in addition to this beam, which I prefer to call a country passing beam, a country driving beam from the same equipment which is sub-' .stantially symmetric laterally. Still another object is to provide in addition to the above-mentioned beams another symmetric beam from the same equipment in which substantially all light is directed below the horizontal which I prefer to call a city driving beam. These objects are accomplished by filament arrangements'which, in combination with light directing elements, permit an optical shift of the beam laterally as well as vertically by shifting between filaments. A feature of my invention is that all three of the above-mentioned beams are obtained from one headlight unit so that each of the pair of units used on a vehicle is identical. Other features and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description of species thereof and from the drawing. 1

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of lamp used in my invention; Fig. 2 is a. front view of a lens;-Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sections taken along the lines 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5.

respectively, of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of an assembly of the headlight; Fig. 6' is a diagrammatic view of a wiring diagram for lighting any of the light sources at will; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the location of the filaments in the reflector and Fig. 8 is a modification thereof which somewhat alters the beam pattern, as hereinafter explained; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view .of a country driving beam pattern as obtained with.the filament arrangement. of Fig. '7; Fig. 10 shows an asymmetric country passing beam pattern and Fig.

Another object of my invention is to- .a terminal I9 in the base. filament 20 is located just above filaments I2, I3

11 shows a city driving beam pattern, both of which are also produced from the filament arrangement of Fig. '7; and Fig. 12 shows a country driving beam pattern produced by the arrangement of Fig. 8.

Referring to Fig. 1, the lamp comprises a base I0 and bulb II in which are located two V'- shaped filaments I2, I3 which are disposed side by side in a plane parallel to the axis of the lamp. The two adjacent ends of said filaments are joined to form a W and are mounted on a common leading-in wire I4 which is sealed in a stem press I5 and is connected to the base shell Ill. The outer end of filament I2 is mounted on a leading-in wire I6 which is sealed in the stem press I5 and is connected to a terminal I! in the base. The outer end of filament I3 is mounted on a leading-in wire I8 which is also sealed in the stempress I5 and is connected to A third V-shaped in a plane parallel to the plane of said filaments I2, I'3. vOne end of said filament 20 is mounted on the end of a lead wire 2| the other end of which is mounted on the common leading-in wire ll. The other end of said filament 20 is mounted on a leading-in wire 22 which is sealed in the stem press I5 and is connected to a terminal 23 in the base.

In Fig. 6 is shown a wiring diagram whereby any of the filaments may be lighted at will. The lead wires I6, 22 and I8 are connected with switch contacts 24'; 25, 26 respectively and the common lead wire I4 which is connected to base shell II), is grounded at 21'. A switch arm 28, which engages each of the contacts 24', 25", 26, is connected to one side of a source of electrical energy 29, the other side of which is grounded at .30.

In Fig. 2 is shown a form of lens, preferably used in my arrangement, which is divided into zones of different light refracting characteristics. Zones 24, 25 at the top and bottom com prise horizontal spreading flutes 26, 21 respectively of wide spread, preferably about a 24 spread, on the front face, and downward bending prisms28, 29 (Fig. 4) respectively on the back face. Zones 30, 3I at each side comprise horizontal spreading flutes 32, 33 respectively (Fig. 3) of medium spread, preferably about a I 5 spread, on the front face, and horizontal bending prisms 34; 35 on the back face. Prisms 3,4 spread opposite to prisms 35. Zone 36 comprises horizontal spreading fiutes 31 (Fig. 3) of narrow spread, preferably about a 4 to 8 spread, on the front face while the back face 38 (Fig. 4) may comprise a plane surface as shown, or a slightly downward bending prism. Zone 38 in the center comprises horizontal spreading flutes 4. (Fig. 3) on the front face, preferably about a 24 spread, and downward bending prisms 4| (Fig. 4) on the back face.

I do not wish to confine myself strictly to the degree of spread which I have assigned to the flutes in the various zones, since it could be varied quiteconsiderably while still obtaining a beam which may be desirable. show the flutes on the front face of the lens and the prisms on the back, the arrangement could of course be reversed or both the flutes and the prisms could be incorporated in either one of the faces. The faces of the prisms may also be slightly curved in order to blend together the different zones of light projected therethrough.

Referring to Fig. "I, the lamp is disposed in aparaboloidal reflector 4|. so that, looking from behind the headlight, the filaments I2, I3 lie in a horizontal plane through the focal [I which is a country driving beam. Said pattern comprises a so-called hot spot" 42 of high intensity and substantially oval shaped which is'locate'd symmetrically about a center vertical line 43 and has its upper edge adjacent to a horizontal line 44. Said "hot spotf 42 is produced by the zone fl-(Flg. 2) of the lens which receives light from an area of the reflector which is sensitive to both lateral and vertical movement of the filament, that is, if the filament is moved either vertically or laterally the direction of. that portion of light coming from the reflector area behind said zone 36 is also shifted. Said pattern also comprises bands of light 45 of less intensity than the hot spot 42 located on either side of thevertical line 41 and having their upper edges adjacent to the horizontal line 44. Said bands 45 are produced by .the zones 30, ll which receive light from an area of the reflector which is sensitive to vertical movement of the filament but insensitive to horizontal movement of the fllament, that is, a horizontal movement of the filament would not appreciably shift the direction of that portion of light coming from the reflector area behind said zones II and II. Another band 46 of the beam and comprises the lower portion of .said beam. Said band 46 is produced by the zones 24, of the lens which receive light from a portion of the reflector insen'sitive'to vertical filament movement and by the area 39 at the center of the lens.

. The pattern in Fig. 10 which represents a country passing beam, is produced by the use of Although I "now accomplished by the lens. of least intensity is located immediately below the bands 45 and extends across the full width ceive light from a portion of the reflector which is unresponsive to lateral shifting of the filament, that is, when the shift is made from filament I3 to filament 12 it has substantially no eifect on the location of said bands 45. Thus a space 41, substantially non-illuminated, remains between the edge of the "hot spot" 42 and the edge of the left hand band 45. The band 46 is shifted to the right a very slight amount. The pattern in Fig. 11, which represents a city driving beam, is produced by the use of filament 20 in each of the headlights and comprises a high intensity area 48 which is substantially oval shaped and is disposed symmetrically about the vertical axis 43. and below the horizontal axis 44. The pattern consists of one other area, a band 49 comprising the full width of the pattern laterally and being located below the horizontal axis 44.

A modified filament arrangement is shown in Fig. 8 in which the plane of filaments i2, i3 is tilted to the right, preferably at an angle of approximately 20 with the horizontal and filament [2 is located at the focal point of the'reflector. The view in Fig. 8 is shown as looking from the drivers seat, that is, from behind the headlight. This arrangement produces, with filament ii, a country driving beam shown in Fig. 12 which is similar to the pattern of Fig. 9 except that a hot spot" 50 therein, substan tially oval in shape, is disposed substantially symmetrically about both axes 43 and 44, thus providing a driving beam with some light above the horizontal. Bands of light 5! on either side of the vertical axis are similar to the bands 45 in Fig.9 and a large band 52 below said bands ii is similar to the band 46 of Fig. 9. The country passing and city driving beam patterns produced by this arrangement with filaments l2 and 20 respectively, are similar to the patterns of Figs. 10 and 11 respectively and so are not shown. I

The design of the lamp shown in Fig. 1 may .of course be slightly altered without affectin the results. Lamps such as shown in my application Serial No. 575,859 may be used in which the upper V-shaped filament 20 may be set in a plane perpendicular to the plane of filaments I 2, II or in place of said V-shaped filament II a straight coiled filament may be set above fila ments l2, l3 in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said filaments l2, l3 and set at an angle to said plane. Various other changes may also be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, such as shaping the reflector to produce all or part of the beam directing What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle headlamp, the combination of a reflector having a focal point, three light sources disposed about said focal point, one at each side and one directly above said focal point and a light directing member comprising a middle zone having horizontal narrow spreading elements, a zone at each side having horizontal medium spreading elements and horizontally directing elements, the directing elements on one'side diverting light to the right and the directing elements on the other side diverting light to the left, and zones at the top and bottom having horizontal wide spreading elements and downward directing elements.

- 2. In a vehicle headlamp, the combination of a reflector having a focal point, three light sources disposed in said reflector, one at said focal point, one to the 'right and below said focal point and one to the right and, abovesaid focal point, and a light directing member comprisinga middle zone having horizontal narrow spreading. elements, a zone at each side having horizontal medium spreading elements and horizontallznlireqting elements, the directing elee ments one side diverting light to the right and the directingelements on the other side diverting light to the, left, and zones at the top and bottom having horizontal wide spreading elements and downward directing elements.

3. In a vehicle headlamp, the combination of a reflector having a focal point, a light source'iiis pomd at one side of said focal point, and a light directing member comprising-a middle zone having horizontal narrow spreading elements, a zone at each side having horizontal medium spreading elements and horizontally directing elements, the

directing elements on one side diverting a beam of light to the right and the directing elements on the other side diverting a second beam of light to the left 01, and separated from, said first beam whereby two separate transversely extending beams of light are produced by said headlamp with substantially no illumination therebetween, and zones at the top and bottom having horizontal wide spreading elements and downward directing elements.

4. In a vehicle headlamp, the combination of a reflector, a pair of light sources disposed side by side, and a light directing member comprising a middle zone having horizontal narrow spreading elements, a zone at each side having horizontal medium spreading elements and horizontally directing elements, the directing elements on one side diverting a beam of light to the right and the directing elements on the other side diverting a second beam of light to the left or, and separated from, said first beam whereby two separate transversely extending beams of light are produced by said headlamp with sub stantially no illumination therebetween, and zones at the top'and bottom having horizontal wide spreading elements and downward directing elements.

5. In a vehicle headlamp, the combination of a reflector, three light sources therein, two of said light sources being disposed side by side fand the third light source being disposed above the other two, and a light directing member comprising a middle zone having horizontal narrow spreading elements, a zone at each side having horizontal medium spreading elements and horizontally directing elements, the directing elements on one side diverting light to the-right and the directing elements on the other side diverting light to the left, and zones at the top and bottom having horizontal wide spreading elements and downward directing elements.

-6. In a vehicle headlamp, the combination of a light projecting means including. a concave light-concentrating reflector and a glass closure, a pair of light sources d' posed side by side therein, vertically disposed utes and prisms on each side of said light pr jecting means,- said flutes and prisms on one si e being arranged to spread a beam 01' light to the right only and the flutes and prisms on the other side being arranged to spread a beam or light to the left of and separated from, said first beam, and vertically disposed flutes atthe middle of said light projecting means, the beam from said middle portion being shifted sharply laterally by going from one of said light sources to the other.

- VAL J. ROPER. 

